1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communication terminal and more particularly to display of images in a portable communication terminal including more than one display. The present invention further relates to a portable communication terminal capable of displaying images according to image planes. The present invention further relates to a portable communication terminal capable of switching between display and non-display of images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable phones, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and other portable communication terminals include a display device which is smaller than the display devices of conventional desk-top PCs (Personal Computers). As a result, there is a problem that portable communication terminals can display a limited number of characters, images and other information at the same time, and therefore its user can not easily recognize the information.
Thus, in order to overcome the aforementioned problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-327741 discloses an electronic device capable of efficiently displaying graphics in a limited image displaying area. This electronic device includes a display unit for displaying a plurality of graphics and a moving unit for moving the aforementioned graphics. The moving unit includes a rotating unit for rotating graphics to be visualized.
With the electronic device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-327741, a plurality of graphics are displayed such that they form a single annular shape, and therefore its user can easily recognize the respective graphics.
However, with the electronic device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-327741, as the number of graphics required to be displayed increases, the arc of the generated annular shape approaches a straight line. Therefore, when the number of icons and other graphics is large, the shape is displayed in a straight line, and therefore its user can not easily recognize them.
Further, since portable phones and other portable communication terminals have a limited image displaying area, there is a need to effectively utilize the area for primary image display.
In another aspect, the display devices of portable phones, PDAs and other portable communication terminals have an image displaying area smaller than that of the display devices of PCs and other information processing devices. These portable communication terminals have a document generation function, a communication function and a photographing function and other functions. Each of these functions includes a plurality of processing functions. Therefore, for example, when its user intends to execute a predetermined process function, it is necessary to display a menu image plane which is a list of processes, repeat selection of a particular item, and finally designate the processing function. For example, when a plurality of processes are divided into groups to constitute a deep hierarchy, the user is required to switch the menu display multiple times to reach the required processing function. Namely, there is a problem that the user can not easily switch and perform functions.
Therefore, in order to overcome the aforementioned problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-199081 discloses a movable communication apparatus capable of shortening operations for selecting a targeted function and completing a configuration. This movable communication apparatus includes a display unit for displaying a plurality of display objects for setting respective functions by dividing the display objects into a plurality of hierarchy display image planes and a function of changing an originally-operated hierarchy display image plane to an operation image plane including a required display object without passing other hierarchy display image planes.
The movable communication apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-199081 includes a so-called short cut function for completing the operation of a required display object or switching to processes (an image plane) just before the completion from an originally-operated menu hierarchy display image plane without passing other menu hierarchy image planes. Therefore, for the display objects of functions which are often utilized by the user, it is not required to search through multiple hierarchy menus or switch between various modes, the operation procedure can be simplified.
However, with the movable communication apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-199081, although the operation for moving menus is simplified, standby images, an image being photographed and other images are not displayed when an operation image plane is displayed. Thus, in this aspect, there is a problem that the user can not enjoy other images when menus are switched.